Biography
John is chiefly a global media and entertainment executive in distribution and finance, and a strategic architect and designer of impending streaming systems. John has provided business, funding and distribution services for 23 motion pictures, television network series and specials, with combined production costs of over $470 million and global rights earnings exceeding $4 billion; and successfully led the vision, launch and/or expansion of five entertainment and media entities. He also enjoys and dabbles in writing, producing, directing, learning and mentoring. His "The Producer's Business Handbook" is used by film and business schools the world over, is a standard professional media reference, a best seller in its obscure category, released in its fourth edition at AFM 2017 and co-branded by AFM.
John's Grandmother was a reader, lighting a fire in him to hunt for stories that overwhelm, especially in written and motion picture form.
John's early career started as a systems analyst and designer with the NCR corporation by day- while in the evenings writing scripts and stories, acting in small parts, sponging up everything he could from everyone who would share, and studying about entertainment's creative and business craft. John co-founded the now highly successful San Diego Repertory Theatre, in which he provided funding and business planning and also taught and directed. He executive produced his first motion picture, "Where's Willy?" in 1976, doing most things contrary to his better business and creative judgment. It was a clarifying learning experience. This led John to his clumsy, yet determined experience selling international rights for a half dozen pictures needing sales representation; which led him to become Controller and then Business Affairs Vice President for global motion picture sales company Howard Goldfarb Distribution, and subsequently in the same position for Heart Entertainment, where he directed the distribution and funding of in-house and client projects and helped measure the value of their pictures' rights and plan their optimal liquidation. Though participating throughout his career in the business and creative aspects of motion picture and television productions, John also led four new-media companies including the direct broadcast satellite entity Impression Delivery Corporation (acquired by CapCities), and advanced the ad sales units of Times Mirror Cable Television (acquired by Cox Communications).
In 1996, John joined the faculty of BYU's Film School, established and taught their Business of Film curricula, submitting the outline to publishers, giving him the authorship for "The Producer's Business Handbook," for Focal Press. The book continues to benefit many in understanding the demanding, hybrid demands of the global business of entertainment and has brought him in his own words, "More recognition, speaking engagements and enjoyable experiences than I deserve."
In 1999 John co-founded and was CEO of Entertainment Business Group, providing motion picture global finance, distribution and related business services to independent producers and industry entities, until The Gillen Group's acquisition.
In 2004, John became the co-founder and CEO of iCommunication Dynamics, and i.TV, Internet steaming television technology entities, eventually selling its majority interest and his concept and i.TV domain, which became a top 100 iPhone and iPad application company.
In 2008, John became Dean of India's high-tech entertainment and media college, Whistling Woods International, contributing to their expansion, attaining top ten global status, and bringing India its first Media and Entertainment MBA in partnership with Manipal University.
In 2011, John became Managing Director of Entertainment Strategy, where he develops the business architecture for the now emerging Streaming Systems, which will eclipse both current Streaming Services and declining Cable and Satellite Systems. He also directs the development, global distribution, funding and oversight of in-house and client entertainment projects.
In 2018, in concert with their China distribution relationships, John and Alan Cassidy's Simple Little Stories co-ventured with Lady of the Lake Studios, forming One Door Studios, each partner company contributing three global, wide audience projects, three of these projects with sequels.
John continues to story-search, write, surf, help his wife, Darylann, in her women and children humanitarian work and together they labor in their most joyous production- their children, grandchildren, extended family and friends.
